It is well known that myocardial stretch causes changes in electrical signalling and contractility of the heart. For example, mechanical stretch depolarises the membrane potential of cardiac cells and alters the shape of action potentials. As a result, these effects either accelerate the frequency of heart rate or induce arrhythmias of the heart.(omitted)

The genome sequencing has revealed a large number of proteins of unknown or little characterized functions that have been well conserved during evolution. It remains a great challenge to decipher the molecular and physiological functions of these proteins. One example of the evolutionarily conserved protein family with little understood function is the surE family.(omitted)

The PTEN tumor suppressor is mutated in diverse human cancers and in hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. PTEN is a phosphatase that can act on both polypeptide and phosphoinositide substrates in vitro. The PTEN structure reveals a phosphatase domain similar to protein phosphatases but having an enlarged active site important for the accommodation of the phosphoinositide substrate.(omitted)

PDZ domains are molecular-recognition elements that mediate protein-protein interactions. The PDZ domain was discovered originally as a common motif present in three structurally related proteins： PSD-95 (postsynaptic density protein), Dlg (discs-large protein) and ZQ-1 (zonula occludens-1). The PDZ domain is globular domain, containing about 80-100 amino acids, and a conserved motif with two alpha helices and six beta strands. Most of them bind selectively to the C-termini of the interacting proteins at the complexes of signaling molecules and membrane associated receptors.(omitted)

At the eukaryotic replication fork, discontinuous synthesis of lagging strand DNA gives rise to Okazaki fragments carrying ribonucleotides derived from the primer RNA at their 5' ends. Efficient removal of these ribonucleotides is vital for maintaining genome integrity. In this report we show that the endonucleases Dna2 and Fen1 act sequentially to facilitate the complete removal of the primer RNA.(omitted)

To evaluate the contribution of cAMP/PKA signal pathway in short-term facilitation, we overexpressed Ap oal receptor in sensory neurons that do not normally express this receptor. We have previously shown that activation of this receptor in sensory cells, by a brief treatment with octopamine (OA), produced short-term facilitation such as membrane depolarization, increase in membrane excitability, spike broadening, and enhanced neurotransmitter release in non-depressed synapse.(omitted)

The present study was undertaken to determine whether p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase participates in the regulation of vascular smooth muscle contraction by endothelin-I (ET-1) in rat thoracic aorta. ET-1 induced a sustained contraction. In contrast, both the intracellular Ca$\^$2＋/ and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylations were not sustained.(omitted)

Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. In Korea, diabetic kidney disease accounted for 39％ of all new dialysis patients in 1998. Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by glomerular hyperfiltration, albuminuria, and expansion of glomerular mesangium. Since glomerular mesangial cells regulate glomerular filtration rates and are capable of producing extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, the functional abnormalities of mesangial cells under diabetic milieu play an important role in the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy.(omitted)

Inactivation of N-type calcium current has been reported to be both voltage dependent and Ca$\^$2＋/ dependent. We have investigated the effects of Ba$\^$2＋/ and Ca$\^$2＋/ on N-channel inactivation in rat superior cervical ganglion neurons using the whole cell configuration of patch clamp technique. Inactivation was larger in Ca$\^$2＋/ than in Ba$\^$2＋/ even with 20 mM BAPTA.(omitted)

In exocrine acinar cells, $Ca^{2＋}$ -activated Cl$^{[-10]}$ channels in the apical membrane are essential for fluid secretion, but it is unclear whether such channels are important for Cl$^{[-10]}$ uptake at the base. Whole cell current recording, combined with local uncaging of caged $Ca^{2＋}$, was used to reveal the Cl$^{[-10]}$ channel distribution in mouse pancreatic acinar cells, where ~90％ of the current activated by $Ca^{2＋}$ in response toacetylcholine was carried by Cl$^{[-10]}$ .(omitted)

Leukocytes are important elements in the host defense against microbial infections. A variety of antimicrobial peptides named as the cathelicidin family have been identified from leukocytes. PMAP-23 derived from porcine myeloid cells is an antimicrobial peptide belong to the cathelicidin family. PMAP-23 was reported to have potent growth inhibition activity against bacterial and tumor cells with no hemolytic activity.(omitted)

Since anti-angiogenesis could lead to the suppression of tumor growth, angiogenesis inhibitors have received particular attention for their therapeutic potential. In this study, two angiogenic inhibitors using the bioactive sequence from the kringle 5, AK1(KLYDY), AK2(KLWDF) were designed and synthesized. We have investigated their solution structures using NMR spectroscopy and their activities as angiogenesis inhibitors.(omitted)

The native strain of serpins (serine protease inhibitors) has been recognized as a mechanism of biological regulation. Indeed, some stabilizing single residue mutations of human $\alpha$$_1$-antitrypsin, a prototype serpin, relieved local strain and caused the loss of inhibitory activity. The native strain of $\alpha$$_1$-antitrypsin is distributed throughout the whole molecule, but the strain that regulates the function directly is highly localized in the regions that appear to be mobilized during complex formation with a target protease.(omitted)

Helicobacter pylori (Hp), an important etiologic agent in a variety of gastroduodenal diseases, produces a large amount of urease, which is believed to neutralize gastric acid by producing ammonia for the survival of the bacteria. Up to 30％ of the enzyme is associated with the surface of intact cells by lysis of neighboring bacteria. However, the role of the external enzyme has been a subject of controversy, because the enzyme is irreversibly inactivated below pH 5.(omitted)

Bacterial Δ$\^$5/-3-ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) is one of the most proficient enzymes catalyzing the isomerization of a variety of Δ$\^$5/-ketosteroids to Δ$^4$-ketosteroids at a diffusion-controlled rate. Because of the simplicity of the reaction, the enzyme mechanism has been intensively studied as a prototype to understand enzyme-catalyzed C-H bond cleavage.(omitted)

Survivin, an apoptosis inhibitor/cell-cycle regulator, is critically required for suppression of apoptosis and ensuring normal cell division in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. It is highly expressed in a cell cycle-regulated manner and localizes together with caspase-3 on microtubules within centrosomes. Whether survivin is a physiologically relevant caspase inhibitor has been unclear due to the difficulties with obtaining correctly folded survivin and finding right conditions for inhibition assay.(omitted)

The conformational study on cyclic Ac-Cys-Pro-Xaa-Cys-NHMe (Ac-CPXC-NHMe; X = Ala, Val, Leu, Aib, Gly, His, Phe, Tyr, Asn, and Ser) peptides has been carried out using the ECEPP/3 force field and the hydration shell model in the unhydrated and hydrated states. This work has been undertaken to investigate structural implications of the CPXC sequence as the chain reversal for the initiation of protein folding and as the motif for active site of disulfide oxidoreductases.(omitted)

Small conductance $Ca^{2＋}$-activated $K^{+}$ channels (or S $K_{Ca}$ channels) are a group of $K^{＋}$-selective ion channels activated by sub-micromolar concentrations of intracellular $Ca^{2＋}$ independent of membrane voltage. We expressed a cloned S $K_{Ca}$ channel, rSK2, in Xenopus oocytes and investigated the monovalent cation selectivity of the channels. We have used site-directed mutagenesis and macro-channel recordings to identify amino acid residues influencing the ion selectivity.(omitted)d)

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are composed of homo or hetero tetramer of ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ subunits. The a subunits of these channels have a conserved glutamate residue within the pore-forming region. This residue determines the selectivity as well as the affinity for the extracellular divalent cations. Using the high affinity mutant (E363D) of bovine retinal CNG channel in which the Glu was replaced to Asp at position 363, we constructed tandem dimers and investigated the binding symmetry of divalent cation to the site.(omitted)

We cloned the cDNA encoding the neuron-specific $\beta$-subunit ($\beta$4) of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels from rat brain and determined the DNA sequences of the entire coding region (GenBank accession; AY028605). The deduced amino acid sequences of r$\beta$4, 210 amino acids in length, are closely related to the $BK_{Ca}$ $\beta$4 subunits of other species but show only limited sequence homology to other $\beta$-subunits, $\beta$1-$\beta$3.(omitted)d)

Many physiological processes of plant cells, such as nutrient uptake, salt tolerance, and cell enlargement, are mediated by ion transports across the plasma membrane. H$^{＋}$-ATPases on both plasma and vacuolar membranes play major roles on active transports and ion channels mediate passive transports of various ions. It has been known that these proteins involved in cellular osmotic regulation and salt tolerance in the salt-accumulated soils.(omitted)

Tolaasin is a 1.9 kDa peptide produced by Pseudomonas tolaasii and causes a brown blotch disease on cultivated oyster mushrooms. These molecules form channels in the plasma membranes of various cells including red blood cells and destroy cellular structure, known as 'colloid osmotic lysis'. In order to understand the molecular mechanism of tolaasin-mediated channel formation, the effect of Zn$^{2+}$ was investigated on hemolysis and channel formation since Zn$^{2+}$ has been known to block the tolaasin activity.(omitted)ted)

Ascorbate peroxidase catalyze the oxidation of ascorbic acid through the reaction with hydrogen peroxide. Ascorbic acid are utilized as a substrate in oxidative stress. In Candida albieans, ascorbic acid is used as antioxidants, so called D-erythroascorbic acid (EASe). Oxidative stress change concentrations of EASC resulting in interaction with alternative oxidase (AOX).(omitted)

Candida albicans possess cyanide-resistant respiratory pathway, which is mediated by alternative oxidase. The activity of alternative oxidase has been found to be dependent on several regulatory mechanisms. In order to investigate the influence of D-erythroascorbic acid on respiration of C. albicans, the respiratory activity of the cells was measured with oxygen monitor. ALO1 is known to encode D-arabinono-1,4-lactone oxidase that catalyses the final step of D-erythroascorbic acid biosynthesis in C. albicans.(omitted)

In cells of the eukaryotic microorganism Dictyostelium discoideum, at least eight small, four-EF hand calcium-binding proteins respectively are expressed at specific stages during development. One of these proteins, calcium-binding protein 3 (CBP3), first appears just prior to cell aggregation and then maintains relatively constant levels throughout development.(omitted)

Neuroendocrine (NE) cells are abundant in the prostate at birth and then disappear from the peripheral zone, only to reappear during puberty, after which their number slowly increases during adult life. NE cells are believed to play an important role in prostate growth and differentiation. The present study was undertaken to investigate the characteristics of ion channels existing in NE cells of rat prostate gland.(omitted)

The Na$^{＋}$-K$^{＋}$ pump, a plasma membrane Na$^{＋}$-K$^{＋}$ ATPase is plays a key role in the regulation and maintenance of Na$^{＋}$ and $K^{＋}$ ion concentration gradients across cell membranes. This enzyme pumps three Na$^{＋}$ out of and two $K^{＋}$ into the cell against their electrochemical gradient by utilizing the energy derived from ATP. Therefore, the Na$^{+}$-K$^{+}$ pump generates a net outward electrical current.(omitted)ted)

Evidence has suggested that an anion channel blocker, 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2' disulfonic acid (DIDS) could trigger Ca release from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) by binding to a 30 kDa SR protein. Since the high molecular weight $Ca^{2＋}$ release channel (CRC)/ryanodine receptor (RyR) is the main SR protein that conducts $Ca^{2＋}$ efflux in skeletal muscles, the relationship between CRC and the 30kDa protein remains to be elucidated.(omitted)

Opening of $Ca^{2＋}$ -channels represents the final common pathway for insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cells and related cell lines. We investigated voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) and insulin secretion in RINm5F, an insulinoma cell line derived from rat pancreatic beta-cells. Several types of VSCCs were identified in RINm5f cells： dihydropyridine-sensitive L-type, $\omega$-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive N-type, $\omega$-agatoxin IVA-sensitive P-type channels, and $\omega$-conotoxin MVIIC sensitive Q-type channels.(omitted)

Gene expression and protein levels of serotonin N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT, EC2.3.1.87) directly control the diurnal production of the melatonin and correlate with enzyme activity. Effects of protein phosphorylation on the AA-NAT activity were investigated in rat pineal glands and COS-7 cells transiently transfected with AA-NAT cDNA.(omitted)

Sphingosine 1-phosphate is a metabolite of complex sphingolipids that acts as both a second messenger and as a high-affinity ligand for cell surface receptor. Since the possible involvement of sphingosine 1-phosphate has not been investigated in adipocyte, we examined the response of intracellular calcium ([Ca$^{2＋}$]$_{i}$) and intracellular cAMP ([cAMP]$_{i}$ and the effect of sphingosine 1-phosphate on adipocyte function using rat primary adipocyte.(omitted)ted)

Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 is a facultatively photoheterotrophic bacterium. The AppA protein is required for increased photo system gene expression upon transition from aerobic respiration to anaerobic photosynthesis condition. This protein has FAD binding domain in amino terminus and cysteine-rich motif in carboxy terminus.(omitted)

Two open reading frame designated as ylaC and ylaD in the Bacillus subtilis genomic sequencing project, were cloned using pRB374 vector which is shuttle vector in E. coli and B. subtilis. YlaC and YlaD have the sequence homology to SigX and SigW to YbbM, respectively, which are known to be ECF sigmaand anti-sigma factor, respectively.(omitted)

Nickel-binding protein (NBP1) was purified from the crude extract of Streptomyces seoulensis using Ni$^{2＋}$-charged metal chelate affinity chromatography. The molecular mass of NBPI determined on SDS-PAGE was 38kDa. An approximately 3 kb DNA fragment containing the structural gene for NBP1 was cloned from lEMBL3 genomic library of S. seoulensis using a DNA fragment PCR-amplified with the primers designed from N-terminal and internal amino acid sequences of NBP1.(omitted)

When repolarization of neuronal action potential does not decline monotonically but interrupted by additional depolarization, this prolonged depolarization phase is referred to afterdepolarization(ADP). ADP is considered to playa crucial role in the modulation of neuronal excitability, since it contributes to burst firing. We studied the ionic mechanisms underlying ADP in the soma of dentate granule cells, using rat hippocampal slice (300${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ in thickness) prepared from 3- to 3-week-old SD rats.(omitted)

The effects of protein kinase C inhibitors, chelerythrine and bisindolylmaleimide I, on acetylcholine activated $K^{＋}$ currents ( $I_{KACh}$) were examined in atrial myocytes of mice using patch clamp technique. Chelerythrine and bisindolylmaleimide I inhibited $I_{KACh}$ in reversible and dose-dependent manners. Half maximal effective concentrations were 0.49 $\pm$ 0.01 $\mu$M for chelerythrine and 98.69 $\pm$ 12.68 nM for bisindolylmaleimide I.(omitted)

We observed the APD of rat ventricle myocyte and the effects of Lithospermic acid that was separated at Salvia miltiorrhiza having used in Oriental medicine by using classical whole cell patch clamp technique. We classified APD into APD30mV, APD0mV, APD-50mV, APD-60mV by cell membrane potential and the mean of cell resting membrane potential was -69.44${\pm}$1.72 mV.(omitted)

Increasing evidence suggests that protein-protein interaction is essential in many biological processes including epithelial transport. In this report, we present the significance of protein interactions to HCO$_3$$^{-10}$ secretion in pancreatic duct cells. In pancreatic ducts HCO$_3$$^{-10}$ secretion is mediated by CFTR-activated luminal CUHCO$_3$$^{-10}$ exchange activity and HCO$_3$$^{-10}$ absorption is achieved by Na$^{＋}$-dependent mechanism including NHE3.(omitted)

Intracellular pH(pH$\sub$i/) is strictly regulated since it is related to various cellular events such as contractility, signal transduction, ion regulation, cell volume, and energy production etc. In physiological conditions, pH$\sub$i/ of arteriolar smooth muscle faced substantial pressure to be changed during the regulation of blood flow. Therefore it is very important to know the regulatory mechanism of pH$\sub$i/.(omitted)

Even though atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent arrhythmia, the mechanism of development is not yet clear. Recently, there has been several reports that the most frequent source of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is located inside pulmonary vein. Recently we successfully isolated single cardiac myocytes which were inside of pulmonary vein and reported the spontaneous action potential was generated from these cells.(omitted)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism by which environmental pH alters the radiation-induced expression of p53, the key regulator of cellular responses to radiation. We have already reported that an acidic environment markedly prolongs the radiation-induced expression of p53 and also prolongs the radiation-induced G2/M arrest.(omitted)

We have investigated the effect of environmental acidity on the induction of apoptosis caused by heat and carboplatin alone or combined. The degree of apoptosis after heating at 42.5$^{\circ}C$ for 1h in pH 6.6 medium was greater than that in pH 7.5 medium in WERI human retinobalstoma cells. When heated in the same pH medium, more apoptosis occurred in the WERI cells than in the Y79 human retinoblastoma cells.(omitted)

Triadin is a ryanodine receptor and calsequestrin binding protein located in junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum of striated muscles. In the present study, mouse cardiac triadin cDNAs have been identified by cDNA library screening and RT-PCR. The deduced aa sequences show that the three isoforms consist of 277, 293 and 305 aa giving rise to the molecular weights of approximately 31,414,33,066, and 34,328 respectively.(omtted)

Serpins inhibit target proteases by forming tight acyl complex Via incorporation of the reactive center loop into ${\beta}$-sheet A. Metastability of the serpins control the translocation of the protease from the initial binding site to the opposite pole of the serpin. Recently the crystal structure of a serpin-protease complex revealed that the active site of the protease is distorted.(omitted)

SigR ($\sigma$$\^$R/) is a sigma factor responsible for inducing the thioredoxin system in response to oxidative stress in Streptomyces coelicolor. RsrA specifically binds to $\sigma$$\^$R/ and inhibits $\sigma$$\^$R/-directed transcription under reducing conditions. Exposure to H$_2$O$_2$ or thiol-specific oxidant diamide dissociates $\sigma$$\^$R/-RsrA complex. RsrA contains 7 cysteine residues in 105 total amino acid residues.(omitted)

Escherichia coli has developed soxRS regulon to defend against toxicity of superoxide radical. SoxR, superoxide sensor, is oxidized by superoxide-generating agents or nitric oxide and oxidized SoxR activates the transcription of soxS gene. In order to find out the trans-acting factors regulating SoxR activity in vivo, soxS：：lacZ single copy operon fusion construct was prepared and random Tn10 insertional mutatons were performed.(omitted)

We have recently demonstrated that high glucose (50 mM D-glucose) upregulates fibronectin mRNA expression and protein synthesis by human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) through activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and suggested that this may lead to progressive peritoneal fibrosis during a long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) using glucose as an osmotic agent.(omitted)

Diabetic cardiomyopathy has been suggested to be caused by abnormal intracellular $Ca^{2＋}$ homeostasis in the myocardium, which is partly due to a defect in calcium transport by the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). In the present study, the underlying mechanism for this functional derangement was investigated with respect to SR $Ca^{2＋}$-ATPase and phospholamban (PLB, the inhibitor of SR $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase).(omitted)d)

Our previous studies showed that the relaxation defect of diabetic heart was due to the changes in the expressional levels of SR $Ca^{2＋}$-ATPase and PLB. In the diabetic heart contractile abnormalities were also observed, and one of the mechanisms for these changes could include alterations in the expression and/or activity levels of various $Ca^{2＋}$ regulatory proteins involving cardiac contraction.(omitted)